Africa: Winning the Battle against Malaria?
By Eunice Kilonzo
On the 25th of April 2011, the World Malaria Day was observed. Malaria is an infectious blood disease caused by a parasite that is transmitted by the bite of infected Anopheles mosquitoes. Malaria is caused by five species of a parasite that can be carried from human to human by mosquitoes. Malaria symptoms, which often appear about 9 to 14 days after the infectious mosquito bite, include fever, headache, vomiting and other flu-like symptoms. The World Health Organization in 2009 said about 3.3-billion people – that’s half of the world's population – is at risk of malaria. Malaria is prevalent in most African countries (Lesotho and Mauritius do not have malaria). While early diagnosis and prompt treatment are two basic elements of malaria control, prevention saves lives. If drugs are however not available or the parasites are resistant to them, the infection can lead to coma, life-threatening anemia, and consequent death.
The fight against malaria has however been strenuous as the vectors of the malaria parasite, mosquitoes, are resistant to drugs and insecticides used in combating their prevalence.
What is going to end malaria?
Ending deaths by malaria requires a comprehensive set of solutions including the distribution of mosquito nets, education in endemic countries, insecticide spraying and the availability of anti-malarial drugs. Research into vaccines and anti-malarial technologies are also crucial in the effort to eradicate the disease.
Long-lasting insecticide treated bed nets are the fastest way to prevent malaria infection because they create a protective barrier against mosquitoes at night, when the vast majority of transmissions occur. Most mosquito nets can accommodate more than one person. An insecticide treated net can offer about twice the protection of an untreated net, and can even protect other people in the room outside the net.
Educating families, communities and governments on the ground in Africa about what causes malaria and how to prevent its spread is crucial to ending deaths. This can be done by providing information about the effectiveness of nets and use nets, how to access treatment, the importance of spraying, how to protect pregnant women and more. For instance, Malaria No More is a non governmental organization that through various programmes is determined to end malaria deaths in Africa by 2015. This and many more organizations are determined to make malaria history through creating awareness about the severity of Malaria.
Early diagnosis and treatment is also vital. Diagnostic tools - microscopy and rapid diagnostic tests - and medicines - artemisinin-based combination treatments - allow effective case management. Diagnostic tests and combination medicines of good quality need to be used correctly and strategically to reduce malaria morbidity and mortality and to reduce the risk of parasite resistance to medicines.
Indoor Residual Spraying (spraying on the inside walls of houses) also IRS is an incredibly important part of a comprehensive strategy in the fight against malaria. IRS helps kill the female mosquito after she feeds on a person, reducing malaria transmission to others. In some special cases, sprayings are used to eliminate or treat mosquito breeding sites.
While we can end deaths by malaria with tools we have available today, eradicating this disease will require use of a vaccine and other new technological innovations. Scientists and organizations around the world are working to accelerate the development of malaria vaccines and ensure their availability and accessibility in the developing world. For instance, a CNN feature highlights that research groups have already created "malaria-resistant mosquitoes" using techniques such as introducing genes to disrupt the malaria parasite's development. Professor Andrea Crisanti, from the department of life sciences at Imperial College London, said: “This is an exciting technological development; one which I hope will pave the way for solutions to many global health problems.” The research, however, has a great challenge - getting those genes to spread from the genetically-modified mosquitoes to the vast number of wild insects across the globe.
Robert Newman, director of the World Health Organization (WHO)'s Global Malaria Programme, said that “Eliminating malaria from countries where the intensity of transmission is high and stable, such as in tropical Africa will require more potent tools and stronger health systems than are available today.”
Malaria kills 781,000 people each year. Ninety-one percent of malaria-related deaths occur in Africa, the majority of who are children under 5 year account for 85 per cent of malaria deaths. Every 45 seconds, a child dies of malaria despite malaria being preventable and treatable. In Africa, the disease perpetuates a vicious cycle of poverty in the developing world and malaria-related illnesses and mortality cost Africa’s economy 40 per cent of health resources are used to treat malaria in that it costs Africa $12 billion annually to combat the disease.